Tchaikovsky, you old so-and-so. How the hell have you been?

I went to the Nutcracker today for the first time in years. My family went every year when I was small, and I have vague memories of dressing in my poofiest, most Christmasy dresses and snow boots (dress-up has a different meaning in Alaska than in other places), climbing to the mezzanine of the Performing Arts Center, and wishing I were a ballerina. This was the first time I'd gone since I was younger than all of the performers, and it was an odd experience. As could probably be expected in most small towns, the stage was smaller, the dancers less polished, the music prerecorded. These didn't necessarily detract from the show, but it was definitely different than I remember. Anyway, it was nice to return to an old tradition, albeit in a different town, with a different parent.

I have no idea if I'll keep updating this, but I'm getting tired of LiveJournal, so maybe I'll switch over.